Former taxpayer advocate attorney Richard I. Fine has achieved a certain degree of fame – or notoriety – for his single-minded crusade against excessive pay for Los Angeles judges, a battle which may have contributed to him spending 583 days in solitary confinement for contempt of court.

Rick Caruso said Wednesday he is “leaning towards” running for mayor, and the billionaire developer sounded like a candidate as he won applause from a San Fernando Valley business group with a speech that took his swipes at the subway, the school system and government regulation. Kevin Modesti in the Daily News.

The builder of The Grove at Farmers Market, The Commons at Calabasas and Americana at Brand in Glendale resisted encouragement to run for mayor last year, citing commitments to his family and business.

But in response to a question from the audience of about 100 at a Valley Industry & Commerce Association luncheon, Caruso, 51, sounded more positive about entering politics in 2013.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa formally announced Wednesday the creation of a small-business team that will help companies cut through red tape, access municipal services and add jobs to their payrolls. Gregory J. Wilcox in the Daily News.

The Office of Small Business Services will operate out of Villaraigosa’s Office of Economic and Business Policy and will serve as a conduit between local companies and City Hall.

“Los Angeles has more small businesses than any city in the country and is the economic engine of our economy,” Villaraigosa said in a statement. “We expect this new initiative to help unlock the doors to much-needed resources for the small-business community as well as provide them with an advocate solely dedicated to their specific needs.”